Gods of War

Manowar | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 3, 2007)
• Original Release Date: 2007
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Magic Circle Music
• ASIN: B000MQ3U5O
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (62 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #19,844 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very orchestral album, April 19, 2007

By 

Z. William Arkosy (California, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Gods of War (Audio CD)

If you're new to Manowar, I suggest starting with the excellent "Kings of Metal" as a starting point, as that album is not only a superb sample of everything Manowar embodies, but it is one of their most diverse albums, with a little bit of everything.
If you're a long time Manowar fan, read on, and let me share my thoughts on their latest CD "Gods of War."

Overall, Manowar have not strayed from the musical path they created over 2 decades ago. What makes this album different is that it is far more symphonic than any of their other releases. While Manowar have always embraced classical music, this album is more like Rhapsody of Fire, with its Wagnerian choirs, string arrangements, French horns and church organ interludes. Not only is this evident on intros and instrumentals that adorn this CD, but the classical influence is present even on the `regular' tracks. What bothers me is the amount of narration on the album. Added up it's almost 10 minutes of talking (even if there's cool music and sound effects in the background). As they say on radio: "Less talk, more rock!" Also, Manowar albums have become less and less organic overall. I know the band are perfectionists (4 albums in the last 15 years says it all), but I think a lot of the songs are overproduced. I kind of miss the band's early/mid years, when they were very raw. But I guess some would call this progress and maturing artistically. Lyrically, I've always enjoyed the mythological element of Manowar's music. This is a concept album based on the Norse god of war: Odin.

Overture to the Hymn of the Immortal Warriors - A most excellent orchestral intro. Very much like an epic Hollywood film score, full of choirs, and strings and even an organ section in the middle!

The Ascension - Strangely enough after the lengthy opening track we get yet another orchestral intro. This includes a narration, Eric sings softly towards the end leading into:

King of Kings - This is the first real Metal track on the album. It's a lightning fast power metal/speed metal track in the style of "Black Wind, Fire & Steel," "Ride The Dragon," or "Outlaw."

Army of the Dead, Part I - This is a short acappela song with Eric harmonizing to himself. Nice little piece.

Sleipnir - After a short narration the songs kicks in, which is for me one of the highlights on the album. It's a little different (I imagine due to Karl Logan's input). It's another fast, power/speed metal type song, with a catchy chorus. The guitar solo is phenomenal!

Loki God of Fire - After a fast riff, which is probably the coolest riff on the album, the song kicks in, but surprisingly the song isn't a super-fast song with lots of double-bass as the riff would imply. It's still a cool, more upbeat song, with a great chorus.

Blood Brothers - This is the first ballad on the album, which continues in the fine tradition of Manwar ballads such as "Mountains," "Heart of Steel," & Master Of the Wind." While Blood Brothers doesn't quite achieve the greatness of the aforementioned songs, I like it a lot, because it's a different type of ballad. What I've always liked about Manowar's ballads is the fact that they're all very different from each other (up until "Courage"). Blood Brothers starts off with just strings & Eric's superb voice, then it adds some marching band type snare & guitars. For the chorus the song is almost like a power ballad, but the presence of the keyboards remains & adds an incredible ethereal vibe to the whole song. Nicely done! Lyrically it's also very uplifting.

Overture to Odin - Another orchestral instrumental. Once again it's very much like a Wagner piece mixed with an epic Hollywood filmscore. It's starts off with some haunting strings, and becomes grandiouse as the track progresses.

The Blood of Odin - A spoken narration that serves as an intro to the next track. You'll probably be skipping this after a couple of listens.

Sons of Odin - This is cool, typical mid-tempo Manowar song, with some cool double-bass drums & a bombastic chorus. The song ends with yet some more narration, which features some cool orchestral music in the background.

Glory Majesty Unity - This is a reprise of The Warrior's Prayer, pretty much all narration (but spoken by a different narrator than the rest of the album). Once again, some cool background music, but you'll be bored of this easily.

Gods of War - This is a slow, almost doom metal type song, that we haven't heard the likes of since "Into Glory Ride." It's got some cool classical arrangements over the gloomy, slowly grinding riff.

Army of the Dead, Part II - Repise of part one, but it adds some instruments.

Odin - It starts off with a great riff by Karl, with some cool effects on his axe. This is also a slower, grinding tune. A fitting tribute to the Norse god of war indeed!

Hymn of the Immortal Warriors - This is the other (power) ballad on the album, which is nothing short of phenomenal! The classical instruments add some awesome texture, which allows Eric's voice to soar. A beautiful song, starting out quiet & haunting, then building to a grandiouse finale!

Die for Metal (Bonus Track) - I imagine this only became a "bonus track" because lyrically it doesn't fit in with the rest of the concept album. The lyrics are pretty Spinal Tap-ish, glorifying metal and such. Musically the guitar riff is reminiscent of Zeppelin's Kashmir. The song is a slow(er), pounding track that has a lot of crowd vocals, similar to Kings of Metal.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Must be listened to in its entirety!,, April 6, 2008

By 

Spence the Elder (East TN, USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Gods of War (Audio CD)

Gods of War
By Manowar

First off let me state that I had never heard of the band Manowar prior to a month or so ago when a friend of mine turned me on to a YouTube video that someone had put together using , "The Sons of Odin", as the theme. I was blown away by not only the power and skill of the musicians but by how their lyrics reached out and grabbed me in a way few ever do. I ordered the CD form Amazon after it took me a week, (and 20 gallons of fuel), to figure out that these guys are generally not found in your normal music outlets. Needless to say the CD was nothing I expected it to be. I was astonished how well done it was. Don't get me wrong, I've been listening to "Metal" music long before it ever had a name. "Gods of War" is an Epic Ballad of interlocking songs that , dare I say, tells a story. The style of the CD is similar to what Rick Wakeman used in the 1970's with "Myths & Legends of King Arthur & the Knights of the Round Table". Interestingly enough, the only track on the CD that I did not care for was the Bonus track, "Die for Metal". It seemed out of place and a bit juvenile compared to the rest of the CD. All and all I highly recommend this work. The only catch is you must listen to the CD in its entirety. This is not a work that can be looked at and judged by its individual songs. It must be taken as a whole, (minus the bonus track). The import version is musically the same as the domestic version.

On the down side, for you Heathens & Asatru out there, the Edda & Lore used in the lyrics is only marginally correct. But what the Hel, these guys are great musicians and not lore masters, they just kick butt!


In Frith,
Spence

"Sic gorgiamus allos subjectatos nunc"
M. Addams

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Their Best Album Since Triumph of Steel., January 11, 2008

By 

Andrew DiGelsomina (Burlington, Vermont) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Gods of War (Audio CD)

Few seem to have a clue as to what this new-ish Manowar releae MEANS. On Gods of War, Manowar have obviously listened to the more contemporary neo-classical Metal bands.

The difference is, they STARTED the whole Dragonforce/Rhapsody/Kamelot phenomenon, way back in the '80's. It's like they listened to those bands, were impressed with the (admittedly few) innovations, adopted them, and then spent time studying Richard Wagner's Der Ring Des Nibelungen.

What they have produced, as usual, slays anything the above mentioned bands put out, at least partly due to what I call the "Rocking-out" element. The aforementioned other bands can spend all day shredding like computers (with pretty much the same amount of "emotion"), but they rarely Rock. Manowar still Rocks, they never stopped rockin' (Homer).

It also seems that Manowar have paid the best tribute to Wagner I have ever heard from the Rock/Metal field. Whereas Rhapsody often fumbles with their Beethoven/latter-day Verdi fixation, the Wagner odes on Gods of War are strong and sure.

I should now take the time now to point out that I have nothing against Rhapsody, they are probably the best of what I term the "New Wave of Classic Metal" ( a list that includes Dragonforce, Kamelot, Dream Evil, Stratovarious, et al). They are good for at least a couple of really excellent songs per album. Their problem, one they share with the others mentioned, is an overwhelmingly prevalent lack of dynamics on their albums. These bands rely far too heavily on the same drum patterns (especially, you guessed, the double-bass overkill patterns). Manowar has always been concerned with providing light and shade on their albums, much like the other greats, like Judas Priest and Black Sabbath. They go the extra mile to make sure a fan will WANT to hear the whole album all over again and again.

Overall, I most highly reccomend this album, if you are into Wagner and/ or Metal in general. It's obviously harder for younger children and Limp Bizkit fans to appreciate (check out 75% of the reviews on here). But for the long time fans of Manowar, this album is a Godsend. Rather, Odinsend.